Hand-propelled boat



G. F. WINTER HAND PROPELLED BOAT Filed OCT.. 3. 192.4

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ATTORNEYS Nov. 3l V1925.

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Patented Nov. 3, 1925.

UNITEnsrATEYS PATENT, 4OFFICE.

. GEORGE FRED WINTER, 0F HONOLUIJU, TERRITORY OF lHAND'-raorrLLnn BOAT. 'i

Application filed rOctober 3, 1924.` Serial N o. 741,473.

My present invention relates generally rtoA boats, and more particularly to a hand propelled boat propulsion yof which is effected by means of levers geared with the propeller shaft having a propeller thereon at the rear of the hull, my invention contemplating a boat of small size having a closed hull upon whichthe operator'may seat himself adjacent the levers, the hull being so constructed as tok form `a safe and amusing sport boat aswell as one which will be safe and may be readily controlled and manipulated in use.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates my present invention and forms a part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing my improved boat, partly broken awa-y and in section.

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section taken therethrough substantially on line 2-2 of Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section showing a slightly modified form of actuating connections.

Referring now to these figures and particularly to Figures 1 and 2 my invention proposes a boat including a closed hull 10 forming an air chamber therein, the hull being made water-tight in the first instance and being therefore non-sinkable. The hull may have a round or slightly flattened bottom 11 and its top 12 is preferably slightly convex so as to form a comfortable seat for the operator who in the manipulation and actuation of the boat straddles the hull 10, placing his feet upon the side keelY wardly with beveled front ends 14.

Forwardly of the center of the hull 10 a gear box 15 is fixed in depending relation therein through the top l2, this gear box being closed at its base and sides in order to preserve the air and vwater-tight nature of the hull 10 and being open at its upper end. At opposite 'sides of the gear box bearing brackets 16 are mounted in orderto support a transverse shaft 17 having thereon adjacent to itscenter an enlarged bevel gear 18 inmesh with a somewhat smaller bevelv gear 19 upon the upper Vforward end of the propeller shaft 20. Y "f rlhe hull 1() has atapering bow '21 anda tapering stern 22 and is provided with a rigid bearing tubel 23 extending from the rearwall' of the gear box 15 in downwardly and rearwardly inclined relation throughk the sloping stern '22.Y Through this'tube the propeller shaft 2O is mounted, the shaft having at its rear end below the sloping stern a screw propeller 2/1'located within a reticulate propeller guard or frame 25 at the stern of the boat. which may be formed of heavy wire mesh or other suitable material capable of guarding the small light propeller 24 from harm without interfering to any material extent with its function.

The operating levers 26 of which there are two, upstand above the gear box 15 so as to be within the convenient reach of the operator seated on the hull 10, and these levers may as shown in Figures 1 and 2 pivot adjacent to their lower ends upon the transverse shaft 17 and may be provided with pawls or dogs 27 in engagement with ratchet wheels 28 secured on said shaft so that by successive manipulation o-f the levers a practically constant rotation of the shaft 17 may be effected, power being transmitted from the latter through the gears 18 and 19 and through propeller shaft 2O to the rear propeller 24.

If it is desired, however, other forms of actuating connections may be employed as indicated in Figure 3 where the shaft 17a is a vcrank shaft and the levers 26a are pivoted at their lower ends to a supporting bracket V 29 and have intermediate their ends pitmen Vith the operator seated as above indi.- eated it is simply necessary for him tol manipulate the levers 26 in an obvious manner in order to propel the boat and as far as steering is concerned it issimplly neeessary for the operator to lean either to the right or the left depending upon the direction in which he Wishes to turn. If it is desired to turn to the left the operator leans to the left which thus forces the left hand keel member 13 deeper intov the Water Ythan the right hand keel member whereby the additional friction causes the boat to turn to the left. If a sharp turn is desired the operator not only leans to the lett but may also place his left foot in the Water alongside of the keel member which will thus add greatly to the friction and bring about a substantially shorter turn.

Small boats of this nature may be used with safety and great pleasure, are easy to manipulate and: control7` inexpensive in. 00st and practically Without cost of upkeep under reasonable care.

I claim:

l.A A boat including a closed hull Whose top forms a seat for the operator, having side -keel members forming foot rests, and manual means including hand levers upstanding above the top of the boat for propelling the same through the Water.

2. A hand propelled boati of' the type described having a hull adapted to be stradd'led by the operator and having side keel `members adapted to form foot rests, and

Ybers at the sides thereof forming foot rests.

5. A boat having a closed hull forming an air .chamber vtherein and a hollow, elongated mem-bers outstanding 'from' the sides thereof', the hull being ada ted to be stradd'led by the operator and t -e keel members forming foot rests as described.

GEORGE FRED WINTER,

pa'i'r of keel n 

